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Best rushing offenses in NFL history
Cold, Hard Football Facts for March 10, 2008
Heres's a look at the greatest rushing attacks in NFL history, based upon average yards per attempt. It includes all 32 teams that averaged more than 5.0 YPA over the course of a season, dating back to 1934, the first year that this data is available.
The 2007 Vikings, led by rookie phenom Adrian Peterson, finished No. 6 all time, with an average of 5.332 YPA.
Click here for a complete wrap-up of the topic. The one big thing that jumps out from this list is that few of these teams were particularly dominant. Only 13 of the 32 teams on the list made the playoffs, just one won an NFL championship and two won AFL championships. This list, in other words, defies the conventional wisdom that running the ball well is a key to success in the NFL. If this conventional wisdom was correct you'd expect the greatest running teams of all time to have shown far more success.
GREATEST GROUND ATTACKS in NFL HISTORY (by YPA)
|
|
Team |
Record |
Att. |
Yards |
Avg. |
|
1 |
1963 Browns |
10-4 |
460 |
2639 |
5.737 |
|
2 |
1954 49ers |
7-4-1 |
442 |
2498 |
5.652 |
|
3 |
1963 Chargers (AFL) |
11-3 (won AFL Title) |
395 |
2201 |
5.572 |
|
4 |
1997 Lions |
9-7 (lost WC) |
447 |
2464 |
5.512 |
|
5 |
2006 Falcons |
7-9 |
537 |
2939 |
5.473 |
|
6 |
2007 Vikings |
8-8 |
494 |
2634 |
5.332 |
|
7 |
1958 Browns |
9-3 (lost div. playoff) |
475 |
2526 |
5.318 |
|
8 |
2002 Vikings |
6-10 |
473 |
2507 |
5.300 |
|
9 |
1984 Rams |
10-6 (lost WC) |
541 |
2864 |
5.294 |
|
10 |
1990 Lions |
6-10 |
366 |
1927 |
5.265 |
|
11 |
1966 Browns |
9-5 |
415 |
2166 |
5.219 |
|
12 |
1951 Rams |
8-4 (won NFL title) |
426 |
2210 |
5.188 |
|
13 |
1998 49ers |
12-4 (lost div. playoff) |
491 |
2544 |
5.181 |
|
14 |
1956 Rams |
4-8 |
384 |
1978 |
5.151 |
|
15 |
2002 Chiefs |
8-8 |
462 |
2378 |
5.147 |
|
16 |
2003 Chargers |
4-12 |
417 |
2146 |
5.146 |
|
17 |
1994 Lions |
9-7 (lost WC) |
406 |
2080 |
5.123 |
|
18 |
1973 Bills |
9-5 |
605 |
3088 |
5.104 |
|
19 |
2004 Falcons |
11-5 (lost NFC title) |
524 |
2672 |
5.099 |
|
20 |
1956 Colts |
5-7 |
432 |
2202 |
5.097 |
|
21 |
1966 Chiefs (AFL) |
11-2-1 (lost SB) |
448 |
2274 |
5.076 |
|
22 |
1972 Steelers |
11-3 (lost AFC title) |
497 |
2520 |
5.070 |
|
23 |
1975 Bills |
8-6 |
588 |
2974 |
5.058 |
|
24 |
2003 Packers |
10-6 (lost. div. playoff) |
507 |
2558 |
5.045 |
|
25 |
1953 Rams |
8-3-1 |
426 |
2148 |
5.042 |
|
26 |
1960 Browns |
8-3-1 |
383 |
1930 |
5.039 |
|
27 |
1953 49ers |
9-3 |
443 |
2230 |
5.034 |
|
28 |
1985 Colts |
5-11 |
485 |
2439 |
5.029 |
|
29 |
1958 Rams |
8-4 |
345 |
1734 |
5.026 |
|
30 |
1962 Texans (AFL) |
11-3 (won AFL title) |
479 |
2407 |
5.025 |
|
31 |
1934 Bears |
13-0 (lost NFL title) |
567 |
2847 |
5.021 |
|
32 |
1999 49ers |
4-12 |
418 |
2095 |
5.012 |
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